Free Will Astrology

FALL 2020

The Wool Factory’s pastry chef, Rachel De Jong, on her new gig—and her return to C’ville

Taste is everything.

Try this Hudson Henry Granola over yogurt (with a drizzle of honey!).

Eat local!

LG’s Elixir may just be the home remedy we need this season

20+ LOCALLY made staples you should ALWAYS have on hand (starting with BREAKFAST!)

Say “mmm.”

When it comes to area eats, we let our cravings guide us. And in this quarterly magazine, you’ll find everything from a stack of pancakes to a plate of filet mignon. Each issue of Knife & Fork introduces readers to chefs, food trends, recipes, and, most importantly, the best meals around.

ON STANDS SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 22): “I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman in me,” wrote Scorpio poet Dylan Thomas in a letter to a friend. That sounds like a lot of energy to manage! And he didn’t always do a good job at it—although he did at times tap into his primal wellspring to create some interesting poetry. I’m going to use Thomas’ words in your horoscope, because I think that in the coming weeks you can be a subtle, refined, and mature blend of a beast, angel, and madperson. Be your wisest wild self, dear Scorpio!

By Rob Brezsny

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Activist and author Rebecca Solnit writes, “The grounds of my hope have always been that history is wilder than our imagination of it and that the unexpected shows up far more regularly than we ever dream.” In my astrological estimation, her grounds for hope should also be yours in the coming weeks. The future is more wide open than you might think. The apparent limitations of the past are at least temporarily suspended and irrelevant. Your fate is purged of some of your old conditioning and the inertia of tradition. I encourage you to make a break for freedom. Head in the direction of the Beautiful Unknown.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa doesn’t stand straight, but tilts at an angle. Why? The soil it was built on is soft on one side. So the marble-and-limestone structure began to tip even before it was finished. That’s the weird news. The good news is that the tower has remained standing for more than eight centuries—and has stayed intact even though four major earthquakes have rolled through the area. Why? A research team of engineers determined it’s because of the soft foundation soil, which prevents the tower from resonating violently with the temblors. So the very factor that makes it odd is what keeps it strong. Is there a comparable phenomenon in your life? I believe there is. Now is a good time to acknowledge this blessing—and enhance your use of it. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Even if you tend to pay more attention to what’s going wrong than what’s going right, I ask you to change your attitude for the next three weeks. Even if you believe that cynicism is an intelligent perspective, and a positive attitude is a wasteful indulgence, I encourage you to suspend those beliefs. As an experiment— and in accordance with astrological potentials—I invite you to adopt the words of activist Helen Keller as your keynote: “Every optimist moves along with progress and hastens it, while every pessimist would keep the world at a standstill. The consequence of pessimism in the life of a nation is the same as in the life of the individual. Pessimism kills the instinct that urges people to struggle against poverty, ignorance and crime, and dries up all the fountains of joy in the world.” Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Researchers in the U.K. found that 62 percent of the adult population brags that they’ve read classic books that they have not in fact read. Why? Mostly to impress others. George Orwell’s 1984 is the top-rated book for fake claims, followed by Tolstoy’s War and Peace, James Joyce’s Ulysses, and the Bible. I hope you won’t engage in anything like that type of behavior during the weeks ahead. In my opinion, it’s even more crucial than usual for you to be honest and authentic about who you are and what you do. Lying about it might seem to be to your advantage in the short run, but I guarantee it won’t be. Aries (March 21-April 19): “Love can’t always do work,” wrote novelist Iris Murdoch. “Sometimes it just has to look into the darkness.” From what I can tell, you’ve been doing that recently: looking into the darkness for love’s sake. That’s a good thing! You have been the beneficiary of the blessings that come through the contemplation of mysteries and enigmas. You’ve been recalibrating your capacity to feel love and tenderness in the midst of uncertainty. I suspect that it will soon be time to shift course, however. You’re almost ready to engage in the intimate work that has been made possible by your time looking into the darkness.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Author Barbara Kingsolver says, “Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.” That’s always valuable advice, but it’ll be especially useful to keep in mind during the coming weeks. You’re probably going to feel more pressure than usual to tell others what they wish you would tell them; you may experience some guilt or worry about being different from their expectations of you. Here’s the good news: I’m pretty certain you can be true to yourself without seeming like a jerk to anyone or damaging your long-term interests. So you might as well say and do exactly what’s real and genuine. Gemini (May 21-June 20): “The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks,” wrote